Mluger Bill wrote: I stopped and gave him the ol' Gallic shrug only to cop a mouthful and an energetic "Keep Left" gesture. Not sure if he liked the kiss I blew him just before the light changed, he blasted his way into the right lane, cutting off the other cars before roaring off into the queue at the ped crossing in front of Jeffs shed.

Now now Pete, do I look like the type that would actually ride a bike to get where I wanted to go? Lovely run too except for the monster 45 headwind once I got past the container park on Footscray road.

...whatever the road rules, self-preservation is the absolute priority for a cyclist when mixing it with motorised traffic.London Boy 29/12/2011

Just started to cross Lutyche Road at the pedestrian lights as there was too much traffic to weave through to get to the turning right lane near the city (my view was obstructed by traffic already stopped and waiting at the lights) and some doofus in the next lane driving their early 90's looking white Ford Laser goes flying past still doing 60kph through the red light and just misses getting cleaned up by the cars now accelerating coming out of Newmarket Road. One second later and he would have cleaned me up along with creating a huge crash with two lanes of now merging traffic. I honestly sometimes have no words to express how i feel at drivers sometimes.

Said model:

Last edited by Lukeyboy on Fri Dec 28, 2012 12:13 am, edited 2 times in total.

Yeah I missed the rego details due to how fast it happened and as I double checked to make sure that the cars were stopped incase the lights were faulty which I've experienced before in the past. There might be a red light camera there. There's one a few streets back and at the next one IIRC. I'll have another ride that way tomorrow to check things out. If there's a camera I might try to follow up but I don't like the odds of me getting very far. Wouldn't mind seeing any footage that's for sure!

WarbyD wrote:To play the devil's advocate.. It seemed you claimed the lane much earlier than necessary in that video - from what I can see there was plenty of opportunity for you to politely move across to allow the motorist to pass well before the roundabout. How long had they been behind you prior to overtaking? I know that I for one would be incredibly frustrated if I had been sitting behind a cyclist in the middle of the lane, when he had ample time and room to move across and allow me through without inconveniencing or endangering him in any way..

Not defending the overtaking over the painted island as it is very much illegal - but it certainly doesn't hurt anyone to be polite every once in a while instead of just having to be "right" ..

Edit - To clarify, I am meaning this for discussion (still learning this whole safe cycling business /expectations / etc) not a direct "you should have moved across!" - I would like to see what others think/would do in this situation..

I don't think there is such a thing as claiming the lane too early, you want to be like a car when approaching a roundabout and not "merge" into the traffic from the side of the road at the last second.

I have spent almost the last two weeks in Singapore and a few more days to go... I was in a Taxi today where the driver was telling me how atrocious the drivers are in SGP and I had to agree.. The worst driver though was the taxi driver himself... but he just didn't know it. His problem was changing up gears to quickly so the car just didn't have enough power to actually accelerate.. but that was kinda ok as he never seemed to get to the speed limit anyway a friend of cyclists ... as he was slower than many of the bikes.

Kenzo wrote:I have spent almost the last two weeks in Singapore and a few more days to go... I was in a Taxi today where the driver was telling me how atrocious the drivers are in SGP and I had to agree.. The worst driver though was the taxi driver himself... but he just didn't know it. His problem was changing up gears to quickly so the car just didn't have enough power to actually accelerate.. but that was kinda ok as he never seemed to get to the speed limit anyway a friend of cyclists ... as he was slower than many of the bikes.

It's funny how it's always the "other" motorists that are bad drivers

I won't mention whom, but someone I know is always telling me "Mum told me to drive as if everyone else is an idiot and she was so right" as I'm physically bracing myself for impact or mentally applying the brake

Lukeyboy wrote:I honestly sometimes have no words to express how i feel at drivers sometimes.

I do - they are Muppets.

Honestly, you need to be a bit of a mind reader and expect some people to do stupid and dangerous things. Sadly though, these people don't realise they are doing the wrong thing until they are either busted by the cops, involved in a smash (even then some never learn) or hurt/maim somebody...

Big_Red wrote:Honestly, you need to be a bit of a mind reader and expect some people to do stupid and dangerous things. Sadly though, these people don't realise they are doing the wrong thing until they are either busted by the cops, involved in a smash (even then some never learn) or hurt/maim somebody...

Stay safe everyone.

Unfortunately, too many of them believe without question the Govt mantra that as long as they are slow, sober and awake they're driving safely. Good roadcraft, lane discipline and correct signalling are the exception rather than the rule these days

...whatever the road rules, self-preservation is the absolute priority for a cyclist when mixing it with motorised traffic.London Boy 29/12/2011

Picked up a SMIDSY todayMarine Tce roundabout for turning into Duoro Rd and South Tce. I was heading turning right into South Tce off Marine Tce. Indicating right and then left as per roundabout turning indications. I knew the car on the far side was going to go and sure enough he did, and I started to air zound him. Collected the rear panel of the car doing low speed as was braking to try and avoid a collision but couldn't. Strange that they were a SMIDSY as car behind me, car behind it, car on the other side. Cars & a bus further back all saw it as well. About five cars tooted that one as it took off unaware. Hope I've left a rubber scuff mark on his red panel.

Damage to bike none. Damage to me very mild graze from coming onto the bitumen.

Lucky I wasn't running my camera as well... I would have been having fun trying to get Freo police to charge them with failing to give way etc etc with witnesses...

Baalzamon wrote:Picked up a SMIDSY todayMarine Tce roundabout for turning into Duoro Rd and South Tce. I was heading turning right into South Tce off Marine Tce. Indicating right and then left as per roundabout turning indications. I knew the car on the far side was going to go and sure enough he did, and I started to air zound him. Collected the rear panel of the car doing low speed as was braking to try and avoid a collision but couldn't. Strange that they were a SMIDSY as car behind me, car behind it, car on the other side. Cars & a bus further back all saw it as well. About five cars tooted that one as it took off unaware. Hope I've left a rubber scuff mark on his red panel.

Damage to bike none. Damage to me very mild graze from coming onto the bitumen.

Lucky I wasn't running my camera as well... I would have been having fun trying to get Freo police to charge them with failing to give way etc etc with witnesses...

Glad you got out of that okay. Not my favourite roundabout. Something happened around that area yesterday evening as well at one of the railway crossings. A couple of ambulances in attendance.

Aushiker wrote:Glad you got out of that okay. Not my favourite roundabout. Something happened around that area yesterday evening as well at one of the railway crossings. A couple of ambulances in attendance.

Lukeyboy wrote:Jumped on the bike for a quick blast along the riveloop today. Not even 300m from the front door I come across some D-bag that decided to swerve infront and cut me off to access a side street instead of waiting 2 seconds. Now that I know the street the guy lives on I'll be paying my respects later on in the week

The helmet angle looks like there's a decent amount of room but thats due the nature of a wide angle lens high up.

No need to explain the angle. Even if it was a decent spacing the action of passing so as to immediately turn off the road is plain selfish and reeks of "Look at me. I'm more important than the rest of the world".

Lukeyboy wrote:... I honestly sometimes have no words to express how i feel at drivers sometimes.

My response is that you should not feel anything about drivers. Feel about the one driver.

We see gazillions of comments below media items where cyclists come off badly where the readers think the particular rider deserved it because of the actions (real or imagined) of other riders they have a beef with.

(Yes, I know you are using license in your comments but your post is an opportunity to remind the rest of us not to err in the way that much of much of the critical non-riding public do. Of course, you must always ride as though every driver is a numb nut regardless.)

just to remind us that it's not just cyclists who are the targets/victims. in the drive-in trade section of bunnings today, watching some cretin park next to the exit so the guy who was parked in the marked bay could not fit through. the latter guy patiently waited as cretin just sat there, either ignoring or ignorant of the guy trying to get out. finally he moved when asked. the guy had that vacant look of an antisocial deadbeat, had a disabled parking sticker (it could have been genuine, but the only clues available to me suggested taking liberties was in-character). these people all seem to drive 1990s fords or holdens, are male, in their 40s or 50s and are attired in tracksuit wear.

I should of phrased it better as I catagorise into two standards. Good driving and bad driving.

Had another one of these bad driving drivers while going through burpengary. This time a older lady, from the somoa/fiji region, black fuzzed up hair, green t shirt, seat positioned slightly forward of half way driving a 2005esque Holden Astra rolled slowly towards a T intersection. As the car stopped she did the "I see the cyclist coming from the right but QUICK what's coming from the left.... nothing... where's that cyclist... right there so I should floor it". Nothing feels better than grabbing the brakes at 35-40kph as you now look directly at the driver now infront of you enough that you can work out teh seating position. Think I better stick to the bike paths from now on

(AT) Baalzamon. Damn lucky it was just a graze. Could have been alot worse from the sounds of it.

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